Slowing Progress
by Unirthlee
Summary: Ray is abusivley changed by his former team, but is the doctor's diagnoses only half of the story? What exactly made the White Tigers want to kill Ray, in the first place? R&R if you like it! LAST CHAPTER UP!
1. Chapter 1

_Ray Kon and Kai Hiwatari have ganged up with two girls, Teira Mishizu and Emma McFerrin for beyblading purposes. Teira and Ray are strong friends and beybattle against each other constantly, while Kai and Emma do the same. They all live together in a dojo that Mr. Dickenson rented for them. _

**Note: the info above won't be much help to this story; I was just explaining Emma and Teira's names. Enjoy! **

* * *

"Ray?" Teira stepped timidly into the room with a plate of steaming spaghetti in her hands. Ray didn't bother to look up, his face buried into a book. He glowered at the fine print and bit his lip, _please just go away, Teira…_he pleaded to himself.

"I brought you dinner incase you didn't feel up to eating with us." She said, "The trip must have been hard." She sat the tray down in front of him, expecting at least a look, but received nothing from the Chinese teen. Teira sighed. He had been this way from the time he had gotten back from visiting his old team mates in China…he had been so cold. "Ray?" She tried again to catch his attention, "um, well—hope you like it…" said Teira dully. The younger girl walked coldly out of the room without a second glance back. If he didn't want to talk, he wouldn't.

Ray looked over at the hot plate and distractively picked up the fork, sticking it into a few stray noodles.

"_You will die, Kon!"_

Ray recalled the words so finely…he sat the book down on the bed and placed the fork back down to the plate. He wandered over to his dresser and looked into the mirror, glaring.

"_Traitor! I'll make sure you never set another foot out of this village!"_

He stared sadly up at ruffled black bangs, amber eyes, and pale flesh. All of this had been different when he had last looked. He had looked so happy…until—

"_You gave up on us because we weren't good enough! Now, we're giving up on you! For good!" _

Ray unexpectantly clutched at his chest and wobbled on his feet, hunching over. Pain flooded through his veins like fire, "S-stop it…." He called to his reflection. _Your going mad, Ray…your going sheer mad!_ He said to himself as that same voice flooded into his mind,

"_You. Will. DIE!" _

He screamed aloud and wearily let his eyes close and his knees give way. He was stoned by the pain and remembrance.

* * *

"Yeah, Ray looks a bit—!" Teira stopped and dropped her fork in mid sentence. The blood drained from her face as a scream echoed through the house. Kai dashed out of his seat with Emma and Teira in hot pursuit. The scream had come from the only other person in the house. Ray Kon.

Teira busted through the door and gasped at what was before her. Kai frowned and Emma stood breathless on entrance.

"What happened?" Emma choked.

"He—passed out?" Kai answered worriedly. Ray's body was down on the ground and crumpled. Teira scrambled over to the Neko Jin's aid and lifted his head to her lap.

"I'll go get some water!" Emma called and disappeared through the doors. Kai knelt down in front of his friend and checked his pulse. Everything was still beating, but very slowly. Emma soon returned with a glass of water and the nearest phone.

"We need to call 911." She started punching in numbers when Kai silenced her, grabbing the glass, as well.

"R-Ray!" Teira parted his bangs as the older teen began to cough himself awake. His eyes flew open and he clutched his chest once more. Kai moved in closer and put his team mate's hands down by his side, "Ray, whats wrong?" He asked. Teira stared down at him with worried eyes. _What happened, what's wrong?_ Emma scurried over to Teira's other side and observed him, still clutching the phone. Ray looked up at the many faces around him. He didn't recognize any of them…?

"Ray…what hurts?" a voice asked. He looked up into amber eyes of the girl who was apparently holding him. That voice…the sound…was familiar in some way?

"Who are you…?" He asked. The girl looked down at him and let her mouth drop open, "I—I'm your friend Teira!" she shouted, almost in tears. _Teira?_ Ray blinked in astonishment and closed his eyes. A hand grabbed onto his arm and he opened and glared darkly at yet another girl.

"Ray, do you remember any of us?" she asked. He shook his head slowly and the girl gasped, "I'm Emma…you have to remember me! I'm your team mate! We all are."

"I don't know any of you…leave me alone." He said dully and Emma let go of his arm and sunk down to her knees. He sat up from Teira's lap and glared around at his team mates. The other male spoke up to Ray, "Ray, its Kai. Did you just forget who we all are?" Ray stood up from the three others and made his way over to the bed.

"You're sadly mistaken. I have absolutely no idea who any of you are. I've never seen any of you in my life." He whispered, "Now, please get out of my room."

* * *

Teira stayed the rest of the night with Ray, even though he refused to talk to her. Kai and Emma had gone over to the doctors, but Ray had refused to go, so they went ahead and tried to discuss his conditions.

Teira looked down at her silver watch and watch the second hand tick from one side to another; it was now 9:31. She looked over at Ray, who was reading in bed, back to her. It was useless to try and make conversation with him, because he still had no idea who she was. She still just wanted to make herself familiar with him, if anything, try to start a whole new friendship with her old team mate. "Ray." She called to him and he said nothing back, "Ray please talk to me."

No reply.

"We were good friends, Ray." She smiled to herself and looked down at the ground. Ray looked up from his book and over his shoulder, now interested in what the girl was saying. "We hung out, we talked, we did everything together." She paused as her eyes moved up to the Chinese teen. Tears brimmed at the corners of her eyes and she quickly blinked them away. Ray looked at her curiously.

"But you don't remember…me at all." Teira whispered. "It's like you've never seen me—"

"I want to re—remember you…" Ray finally spoke up. He sat his book back down on the bed and got up. Teira watched him come over next to her and sit down on the floor beside her. "We were good friends…?" he asked in a hushed tone. Teira nodded and smiled. He nodded with her slowly.

"Ray." Teira said, having a pretty good idea.

"Hn?"

"Turn around." He did so obediently, and Teira put her fingers on his mid back pony tail. Undoing the wrapping, she let the raven strands fall down over his back and tangle through her fingers. Grabbing a near by brush, she started to work the bristles through his hair.

"Why can't I remember someone like you?" Ray asked suddenly, eyes transfixed on the floor, "You seem to be important to me…but I don't remember you—I can't—!"

"Maybe it's something you did…or amnesia." Teira combed through his black strands and pondered what she had just said. Amnesia was possible, but how? Had Ray lost his memory from the fall?

"Do you remember what you did with the White Tigers?" She asked abstractedly. Ray's muscles tensed all over and he pulled away from the girl, looking mortified. His golden eyes glared down at her as his hair spilled wildly over his back, "What…?" he spat. Teira stood up and backed farther into a corner, "R—Ray whats wrong with you?" she whispered. Suddenly, without warning, Ray crouched over and yelled angrily, clutching at his chest like it was on fire. Teira's eyes widened as she scrambled over to the Chinese boy. He was panting and screaming in Chinese, refusing to stop.

"Ray! Ray—stop it!" She stared at him with astonished eyes, not knowing what to do. He snapped his head up to look at her with narrowed yellow slits, now not screaming, he walked over to his team mate, "Mariah…!" he growled, towering over the girl. Teira looked up at him and started to stand up when Ray grabbed her wrist and slung her to the cold wall. She gasped in surprise and closed her eyes as the Neko Jin neared her strangling body.

"Ray! Stop it—I'm not Mariah!"

"Shut up." He grabbed her other wrist and pressed it to the wall as well. She was left to flounder against the far stronger teen. Ray moved up closer to the girl until they're bodies where flush against each other. Teira cried out and let her face slam up against the wall, "Stop it Ray! I'm not her!" Ray let his eyes flicker from side to side, angrily.

"Shut up Mariah," He yelled, "I'll do what I want!" Teira tried to control herself from yelling, she needed to show Ray that she wasn't who he thought she was.

"Ray…I'm not her—."

"I don't want to hear you!"

"I don't care! Tell me whats wrong. I'm not her or any of the others. I'm Teira!" She shouted into his face, Ray turned away from her, frustrated, but didn't let his grip on her slip. He dug his nails into her flesh and snarled at the ground, "I want you to…sh-shut up! Y-your confusing me!" He shouted once more, shaking slightly.

"You're not hurting me Ray. If you want me to be in pain, I'm not." She said calmly as the Neko Jin looked up at her with confused eyes. "I'm not Mariah; I'm not any of them! I don't know what they did to you, but stop trying to hurt me, Ray! I'm not them…I—I am Teira." Ray started to pant for breath as Teira spoke calmly to him. His nails were still digging into her arm, but she didn't feel the pain, too much was going on around her to focus on the dripping blood.

_He's not listening to me! _Teira though angrily. A snarl escaped her mouth as she lifted her head to glare up at her team mate.

"Ray! Look at me! Who am I?" She asked him.

Ray looked down and shook his head, "I—I can't…"

"Stop saying you can't. Tell me who I am!"

"I…I don't know any more…"

"Yes you do! Tell me Ray…" She was starting to linger as the breath caught in her throat, he was still suffocating her. "Y—you know me….you do! Tell me who I look like, tell me who you think I am—!"

Ray tried desperately to fit the screaming girl into his memory. Something about her made him frustrated. She didn't sound like Mariah—or smell like her. But who else…? _Who are you? _

"T…Tei—Teira…" He gasped and dropped the girl to the floor, backing away in astonishment at what he had done. Teira let her body slam down to the carpet, too tired to care. Her arms where bloody from the scratching, and her head was pounding from the yelling.

Teira gave one last weak smile before letting her head droop. Ray ran over to her side and brought the girl into his arms. "Oh…god, Teira…I h-hurt you!" Ray started to sob at seeing what he had done to his team mate. "I—I didn't even…know…how did I—?" Ray picked Teira up in his arms and walked over to place her on his bed. He backed away from the girl and glared down at his hands. _I hurt her…without knowing it?_ Teira's eyes fluttered open as the older teen looked down at the ground in disgust; he had started to back up to the door, muttering little things in Chinese. "Ray—don't leave." She called to him. Ray looked over at the woken girl and stared with cold frustrated eyes, "I hurt you—I hurt you…!"

"Ray—"

"I have to get away…from here."

"No, Ray!—"

"Teira…I didn't mean to—"

"I know." She nodded and sat up, "Please stay…" Ray looked extremely doubtful, but stayed where he was. "I'll hurt you, though." He hissed darkly, "Like they did…"

"Like who?" she asked.

"N-nothing." Ray said, starting to change the subject. He stepped forward and touched Teira's arm timidly, glaring down at the open scratch marks he had caused.

"I can't believe I did that…I'm sorry." He choked and sat down on the side of the bed, cupping his hands over face. Teira rubbed his back comfortingly, "You called me Mariah, Ray." She said.

"I did?"

"Yeah…care to explain?"

"Uh—I just was out of it…I guess." He said calmly. Teira frowned and moved over to hug the Chinese boy. Ray flinched under touch, but soothed up as she rubbed his shoulders softly, "You would talk to me if you could, right Ray?" Ray didn't answer quickly, but paused to think, "Yeah…" he finally replied. His tone was cold and unsure, this wasn't Ray…he had changed, decided Teira. He had changed once he had gotten back from China. Something was wrong with him, and his old team had something to do with it.

Later on, Emma and Kai had called saying that no luck had been found from the doctors. They would come home as soon as they could, but they would try again to find some answers. Teira had left Ray to sleep later on that night, deciding to phone Ray's old team mates for some well deserved answers.

* * *

"Hello?" Mariah called into the other line of the phone.

Teira calmed herself down, she needed answers from the other team, not arguments, "Mariah, this is Teira. I need to talk to Lee." Mariah's breath rasped at the sentence and she took in a deep breath before continuing, "He doesn't want to talk to you right now." She snapped. Teira grasped the phone tighter and let out a low growl, "Oh, I really don't care what _he_ wants." She said, hearing a soft gasp from the other end, "It's about Ray."

"Hn…I'll see what I can do." Mariah sneered and set the phone down to go find her brother. Teira sighed in frustration. Mariah wasn't her favorite person in the world, and Mariah knew it. The whole White Tiger tribe had blamed Ray's new team for his leaving; Lee especially.

Teira clutched the phone tightly to her ear and listened to the soft voices arguing over the other line. Suddenly the voices stopped abruptly, and Lee's gruff voice answered to the pause, "Hello?"

"It's Teira." She said with an edge on her voice.

Lee sighed angrily, "What can I do for you, Mishizu?"

"A few questions answered would be just nice," Teira answered rather calmly, "concerning Ray—that is." Lee let out a gruff sound and chuckled darkly, "go on." He replied.

Teira let her face drain of emotion and continued, "What did you do to him?"

"Excuse me?"

"What. Did. You. _Do. _To. Him?" Teira repeated slowly. Lee snorted into the receiver, "I have no idea what you are talking about—."

"Yes you do." Teira interrupted, "He passed out on the floor and tried to kill me while calling me Mariah, now that leads me to believe that she has something to do with this."

"Than talk to her."

"I don't feel like it." Said Teira, shortly, "He's been acting strange ever sense he's gotten back."

There was a long pause before Lee spoke up in a hushed manner, "You say he tried to kill you?"

"Yep."

"And you are blaming me for this, why? Maybe he just hates you…?"

"He tried to kill me _after_ I mentioned the White Tigers." She spat. Lee fell silent after this and breathed slowly into the receiver.

"If you think I've got anything to do with this, than your plain mad, Mishizu!" and he hung up the phone, leaving Teira with all her questions still unanswered.

* * *

It was 12:19 when Teira finally fell asleep on the kitchen table. It had been such a frustrating day, nothing seemed to go well but sleep. She had about three hours of sleep when a firm hand shook her awake.

"Huh…?" She looked up at Kai with groggy eyes, "Y-you're back."

"Yes, but all we got from the doctors was one answer, nothing else." The Russian said sadly. Emma took a seat down beside the blond and poured herself a cup of tea. She offered Teira some and she gladly took it. She picked up the warm cup with pale hands, taking in the warm aroma. She took a few sips of the English tea before setting the cup back down, "He called me Mariah." Teira said awkwardly. Kai stared down at her, "What are you talking about?"

"Ray—I mentioned the White Tigers and he started to freak and call me Mariah…he was really upset." Emma blinked and took another swig of the warm liquid, "Did he hurt you?"

Teira held out her injured arms on the table and let her team mates gape, "He tried." Kai growled and set his arms across his chest, "I think his former team has something to do with this crap."

"Same here." Teira agreed and looked down at her tea, "I called Lee up, but he wouldn't say much just that I was mad to think he was involved in this…I still know it; they have to have done something." Emma nodded and poured more tea into the cup.

"It's obvious. He wasn't acting this way before he left." Emma admitted, fingering the ceramic cup as steam rose and fell over the brim.

"What did they do to him—to make him react like that…?" Teira wondered aloud with a blank expression plastered on her face.

"Abuse." Kai said simply. Teira sighed…was that it? Had Lee hit Ray? Had he hurt him emotionally? She growled under her breath, standing up she walked back to her room, dazed in an angry fog.

* * *

"This isn't right…" Ray mumbled aloud. He was curled up in a loose ball under the covers of his bed, thinking of everything that had happened…everything—

Suddenly his cell phone beeped loudly from the night stand he had set it on. Ray sighed. Not bothering to undo his covers, he reached a hand out to grab it. Snatching it, he pulled his hand back under the bedding and flipped it open.

"What?" He asked, irritated.

"Ooo, you sound tense, Kon." Ray's blood ran cold at the voice. His hand clenched the phone so tight he threatened to break it. Ray pulled his hand away from his ear and glared angrily at the phone. With one finger, he shut the black object closed and threw it to the way side. This was not the time to get angry and explode…he needed rest.

As he started to drift off, the small wireless object beeped anxiously again, rousing the Neko Jin from sleep. Ray groaned openly and scrambled around for it. Once grabbing it, he yanked it open once more and growled into the receiver, "What—!"

"I'm hurt," That same voice taunted, "You hung up on me."

"Shut up Lee!"

"Make me!" Lee sneered. Ray narrowed his eyes, "I don't know what I did to you, but I'm not sorry, and I'm not intimidated by your little threat phone calls."

"You sounded pretty intimidated last time I heard from you." Lee's taunting voice laughed through the receiver. Ray didn't reply. All his emotions were whirled inside his head, screaming wouldn't help. Lee sighed over the phone and hummed lightly, "how's your day been going, Kon?"

"Shut up."

"I just asked a que—"

"Shut up!"

Lee chuckled over the phone, monstrous laughter echoing in Ray's ear, "You received what was needed, you deserved the pain. Teira called me a few hours ago, demanding to know what I did to you." Lee paused and Ray's eyes flickered over the bed room, "I said I had nothing to do with your strange behavior. Nothing at all." He laughed again, a satisfying sickly laugh. It coursed through Ray's body. He was too angry for words.

"If it makes you feel any better, the whole tribe is now against you. But you didn't hear it from me." Lee whispered. Ray's body shook with the bottled anger, his fists where clinched around the covers, grasping them until his knuckles turned white.

"Well, if you don't want to talk, than I will." Lee sighed, "Just to clear one fact up, you are no longer welcome in White Tiger Hill, and if your travel here last didn't prove that, than I will gladly prove it myself."

"What happened to you, Lee?" Ray asked astonished at how he was acting. Lee stopped in mid breath, not expecting him to talk at all.

"W-what are you talking about?" he spat.  
"You weren't always like this; we used to be friend—"

"I WAS NEVER FRIENDS WITH YOU!"

"Admit it." Ray hissed darkly. "We were good friends until you started to get

jealous." Lee sucked in air and growled deeply, "Shut—!"

"What was there to be jealous about?" Ray yelled back, ignoring Lee entirely. "You got firsts on everything, you where Sensei's grandson, you were pampered. Are you still holding a stupid grudge because I got Driger?"

"Shut up! It wasn't like that!" Lee gasped; his breathing had become unleavened with shock as Ray started to play with his mind, "Y-you got was…rightfully mine!"

"I got nothing! My parents died when I was born, I have no family; I wasn't favored. I got where I am today by working alone!"

"No—no it wasn't like…t-that." Lee's voice had gone from high and shrill to dark and chantingly.

"I didn't expect to get Driger, I was shocked! Fully preparing myself for you to get it, and I got it…I still don't know why…why did I get it when I was absolutely nothing through out those former years!"

Lee was breaking down on the other end of the line, rasping for breath and chanting small words, "I did w-what needed…to b-be done! I—I had too!" He chanted.

"Lee—?" Ray called out confused, but was cut off by more chants, "I…I did it…don't—don't hurt me…anymore!" by this time Lee was sobbing over the other end of the line, leaving Ray to consider something was seriously wrong.

"Lee! Snap out of it!" He yelled through the phone. Lee voice was being slurred by more tears and chants, "R-ray?"

"Whats wrong with you!" He whispered shocked.

"I-I'm so—sorry…don't let him—hurt me!"

"Who hurt you?" Ray stuttered. "Lee, keep speaking to me!" suddenly, Lee's chanting evaporated, and a dark growling yell erupted through the static, it was like Lee was in pain?

Ray clutched at the phone with both hands and got up on his knees, "Lee!" But it was too late; the other end had gone dead.

**

* * *

****NEXT chapter: Lee goes to the hospital and a chilling secret is discovered, how will every one cope; is the doctor's predictions worse than what they are really saying? I won't continue this if I don't have more than 10 reviews.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter two**

Ray grumbled and tossed around the bed all night, dreaming of his former clan and what times used to be like. Three hours after he finally slept the dreams away, his cell beeped annoyingly once more. Ray yawned tiredly and threw the blue covers to the way side, grabbing the monstrous object and flinging it open.

"…Yeah?" He yawned into the receiver.

"Mr. Kon?" Ray raised an eyebrow and replied, "Yes?"

"This is Tokyo Hospital; we have a patient here by the name of Lee Chow." The clerk paused and Ray dropped the phone from his hand, a cold sweat taking him over.

"Mr. Kon—?" The muffled rep mumbled from the other line. Ray quickly scrambled to get the cell phone, and held it up to his ear, eagerly, "Lee? You have him?" He slurred.

"Yes sir."

"How—what happened?"

The clerk stopped, "Uh—sir we're not authorized to give you that information—"

"So you called me up to tell me Lee was in the hospital and you refuse to tell me why?" He growled, frustrated once more.

"I—ah, well…perhaps you should see for yourself. The damage is significant." The clerk whispered and set the phone down before Ray could say anything else. He slammed the phone down on the covers and cursed aloud, why should he see Lee? After what he had done, he didn't want to see him at all! Ray narrowed his eyes at the bed sheets and sighed. Once out of the bed, he strutted sleepily over to the door and yanked it open, letting sunlight pour through the dark room. Ray walked out through the corridors and down the open hall ways, to the kitchen.

Pulling down a juice glass, Ray didn't even notice his other team mates sitting down at the table. Emma and Kai stared his way anxiously, while Teira glared down, expectantly at her toast. Ray poured himself some orange juice and gulped down the tangy liquid, still thinking on his phone call.

"Ray?" Emma got up from the table and went to confront the Neko Jin, "are you ok?"

"Fine."

"You don't look ok. Are you sure?"

"Yes, Emma."

"Hmm." Ray rolled his eyes and grabbed a slice of bread. Kai stood up against the door post and looked over at the teen. Something wasn't right, he knew that. But what could Ray be hiding. _He doesn't hide stuff,_ Kai growled and left the room to go practice with Dranzer. Emma stared over at the kitchen table, Teira was still eating her toast, bite by bite, and Ray was staring down at his own bread. She rolled her eyes and left the kitchen to her other two team mates.

The silence went on for ten more minuets, and not a word was exchanged. Five more minutes flied by and Ray tapped the wood with his finger. Teira glance up at him once, and quickly back down. _He's hiding something._

"Hmm…" Teira ate the last bit of bread and started to stand up, when Ray's gaze lingered over her own. Golden orbs locked with golden orbs, each with different emotions swirled up inside. Teira broke away immediately, leaving Ray to watch her toss her plate into the trash can, and leave with a frown.

"Guardian Driger!" Teira called to her silver beyblade, as it spun around the bey dish in an attacking haze. Ray glared down at his own blade, who had taken solitude in the middle of the dish, waiting to attack.

"Driger!" Teira looked up and blinked. Ray was breathing heavily and his hands where clenched into tight fists.

"Ra—?"

"NOW!" Driger zipped around the dish at a marvelous speed, hitting Teira's blade at each strike. She gasped and stepped back from the platform just as Ray's beyblade exploded from the stadium, striking her arm. Teira fell back to the ground and buried her head into her arms. Ray paled and rushed over to her side, "T-Teira…!" he knelt down and wrapped his arms around the girls waist, "I…I don't know what I did…I'm so s-sorry!" the girl pulled away from Ray's embrace abruptly and started to standup, "I-I'm fine, Ray." She sniffed and grabbed her beyblade with her free hand.

"You're not mad at me?" Teira blinked and wiped away a few stray tears, "I didn't say that." She whispered, "But I'm not mad at you for this,"—she held out her arm before her, the skin had already turned pink from the rough hit—, "Your not telling me something, that's what makes me mad." She looked down at her arm once more and winced, "Not this."

The younger teen turned to leave, as Ray sighed with a heavy heart, "Lee's in the hospital." Teira stopped in mid step but didn't bother to turn around, "Oh…I'm sorry, Ray—"

Ray shook his head, "don't be, 'cause I'm not sure I am…I'm not sure I don't want him to suffer…"

"Ray!" Teira yelled in disbelief. Ray narrowed his eyes and clinched his fists over the silk in his pants, "What!" He yelled back, you have no idea what he did to me…I-I'm glad—"

"No you're not Ray!" Teira turned around fully, facing the Neko Jin with wide eyes, "Your just saying that…I know you, I know you wouldn't want some one else in pain." Ray laughed in disbelief, "you don't know what _he_ did to me…Teira, you'd wish him dead if he did something like that to you—!"

"What did he do to you, Ray?"

"I can't." Ray whispered, eyes closed.

"Can't what? You are always saying 'can't', start saying 'can' like you mean it! There's so much more you can do than you can't!" Teira howled. Ray's body shook with the words, "Leave me alone…"

"No Ray, come on." Teira started to walk over to Ray when he flinched and moved away from her.

"The sad part is; I don't know if I want to see him. I—I don't know if I want him to be there, in pain or not." He whispered.

"Ray—?"

"After everything he's said and done, I don't want him to walk away like nothing is wrong…it's not fair." The Neko Jin looked down at the ground and pulled his knees to his chest. "I have to live with everything he said and he's happy with it. I don't want to be the only one that suffers!" Ray spat angrily.

"Ray I know—"

"YOU KNOW NOTHING!" Teira fell down to her knees and crawled over to her team mate. She laid her hands in her lap and bowed her head as the Chinese teen flinched and started to mutter little phrases in Mandarin.

"Fine, I know nothing. We've established that. But if you don't get up and stop feeling sorry for yourself, then I can't help you, Ray."

"Just go away…please."

"You don't mean that." Teira whispered and closed her eyes.

Ray laughed half heartedly, "I don't know anymore. So many people have messed with my head…I don't know whats right or wrong, good or bad. I'm tired of being the way I am." Ray stood up without another word and walked away, leaving Teira to hang on his last words.

"Ray? Are you coming?"

"Hn." Ray walked solemnly up the ramp and through the sliding doors with Teira as his guide. He was now in the last place he wanted to be; Tokyo Hospital. Teira had threatened him with everything she had if he wouldn't come. With lots of pushing and pulling, not to mention compromise, Ray finally gave in.

Teira leaded the way to a front desk, diagonal to the sliding doors they had entered. The clerk looked up from her keyboard and smiled warmly at the two beybladers. Teira sat her hands on the counter and smiled back. "Hi. I'm Teira Mishizu. We're here to see a patient." Ray walked up to her side and gave the blond clerk a once over. The lady looked up at him and back down at her computer,

"Are you Mr. Kon?" Ray nodded and the clerk went back to typing.

"Yes, right this way, please."

Five minutes later, Ray and Teira were being shown through one final door, and into a corridor maze. Numbered doors were lined up down the entire hall. The clerk stopped at room 447 and turned to face the two team mates. Her blue eyes showing grief.

"This is the room. Uh, please contact me or a nurse if you need any help or restraints." Ray eyed her, and Teira paled at the mention of restrains.

Teira cocked her head at an angle, "Restraints?" the nurse inhaled,

"Just if you have any trouble." She smiled smugly and left the pair to stand at the door.

"I can't believe your making me do this." Ray hissed and set his hand on the medal handle. Teira ignored his comment and grabbed onto his shoulder,

"Restraints? Why would he need restraints!" Ray shrugged and slowly turned the handle to the right. The door opened with a small click and they entered the room holding they're breaths. Sure enough, Lee was laying flat on his back on a hospital bed, everything in the room strapped to him. Wires came out under the whiter than white bed sheets, and a heart monitor sat wittingly in the corner. Lee's black hair was laid out behind his back as he stared emotionlessly in his sleep. Gauze and bandages had been placed on what looked to be serious injuries, but nothing looked broken. His face was scratched up pretty well; a few band aides strayed around his cheeks, while a white piece of cloth had been wrapped around his fore head.

"Oh my god…" Teira gasped. Ray remained silent, too astounded for words. Teira slowly paced over to Lee's injured body, leaving Ray behind in the corner. Hearing feet shuffle by his bed side, Lee woke up in a series of moans and groans.

"Lee?" Lee blinked twice and stared up at the foggy figure in front of him. As seconds passed, the details became clearer. A girl, blond hair, black shirt…?

"Mishizu?" he growled, wincing from the blinding white lights. Teira hissed under her breath but gave a strut nod, "Someone here to see you…" she turned over to Ray who looked like he could hit her at that moment. The Neko Jin had his arms crossed over his chest and one foot propped against the slate walls. Teira narrowed her eyes at him and fingered for him over by her side. He sighed and walked over, hands now in his black pockets.

Ray looked down at Lee with a mixture of disbelief and hate, the emotions shimmering over his golden eyes as he stared down at him. Lee winced back at Ray, not believing that he was actually there.

"What are you doing here?" Lee growled.

Ray turned to Teira, "she dragged me here." Lee nodded, distractedly.

"You shouldn't have come…I'm already in enough trouble—"

Ray glared, "Tough snot. I'm here, aren't I? Here when I shouldn't be." Lee blinked and Ray looked away. Teira rolled her eyes at the two; it would take forever for them to get anything out of Lee. The blond girl stepped forward at the foot of Lee's bed and looked over at him, "Lee, tell me why you're here?"

"Read the slip." He said irritably. Teira almost hissed out a remark when she spied the clipboard latched to the railing of his bed. She grabbed it and glanced over it, passing the name and date, and edging forward to the conditions.

_Excessively forced drug over doses; slight crippling in left leg; some damage effecting left quadrant of brain. _ Teira gasped, slapping a hand to her mouth. Ray eyed her suspiciously and Lee closed his eyes and coughed.

"Lee—what happened to you!" She whispered, astonished.

"Doesn't it say it all perfectly clear on the paper?" he snorted, "I've been force drugs for a month strait." ray paled slightly at the hearing of this. Teira's eyes widened as they darted from the paper to the patient, "W-what drug?"

"Amphoneen. It's new on the markets." Lee said, glaring down at a needle that had been stuck in has arm for a day now, "The doctors say it messes with the part of your brain that tells you what is wrong from what's right." Ray staggered at the information and sat down in a visitor's chair. Lee looked at him coldly.

"Whats wrong with you, Kon? This isn't the kind of drug that gives you a hangover." He said and turned his head away from the other Neko Jin.

Teira looked down at the clipboard and placed it down on the dresser, "…brainwash…" she stuttered. Ray's golden orbs winded over to her, "What was that?"

"Brainwash, Amphoneen is used for brainwash…" She looked over at Lee who was staring at her. His dark amber eyes darted away from her with a sigh, "oh…yeah." He whispered.

"You were— brainwashed—Lee?"

**Next Chapter! Who brainwashed Lee? And is Ray in the next line of attack, or is he already in it…0o please comment! At least say if you liked it or hated it. X) **


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3. (Short chapter cause I'm tired lol) **

"You were—brainwashed—Lee?"

"W-what are you talking about…!" Lee growled. Teira neared close to Ray and looked down at Lee with confused eyes.

"Lee, what did he do to you—?"

"Get away from me?" Lee yelled angrily and scooted as far from the two as possible. Ray eyed the other Neko Jin and backed a few steps away, "Lee, we're not anywhere near you—?" Lee shook his head and snarled, "I—I don't care…stay away!"

The Chinese teen huddled himself up in the hospital sheets at the far end of the bed, shivering and pulling the cotton sheets over his head.

"He's lost it." Ray admitted and sat back down in the visitor's seat. Teira sighed and crossed her arms, "No…but we should go." She said, "He's just going to get angrier." Ray nodded sadly and stood up. Just as they where about to exit the door, Lee let out a snarling growl and leapt up from the bed, hoisting himself at Ray. Teira screamed as both of the Neko Jins crashed to the ground, rolling onto one another.

"Lee!" Teira yelled, desperately trying to get the other Neko Jin off her team mate. Ray growled and held his hands against Lee's shoulders, trying to get the boy's arms away from his face. Lee kept struggling against Ray and Teira's grasp, clawing at Ray's shirt and swiping cuts across his face. Jutting an arm back, Teira gasped in pain as Lee's elbow cut clean at her stomach. With one yell, Ray was able to kick Lee in the chest, knocking him back and off of him. The younger boy was now face down on the ground panting and chanting small phrases in broken Chinese. Ray quickly hurried over to Teira who was still gasping for breath.

"Are you ok?"

"Y-yeah…fine." Teira choked back. Before she could stand up, guards flooded in and took hold of Lee, placing him back into the bed.

"What happened?" one of the guards commanded, holding the struggling Neko Jin down to the bed posts. Ray glared over at Lee before turning to the officer, "He attacked me." He quietly turned to Teira and let the guard gape, "we're leaving."

As both the teens turned to leave, Lee started to struggle against the men's grasps.

"This isn't over, Kon!" He snarled back, "He'll be after you, too!"

**Next chapter: Ray falls into a coma, and Teira is frantically worried about what Lee had said to him. And it'll be longer too! Please review! **


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4. Thank you all for the reviews, keep em coming! Lol. **

**NOTE! Ray's not in the coma on this chapter, I though I'd explain a few things about Lee's condition. Enjoy. **

* * *

Later on that day, Teira entered Ray's room to find the Neko Jin lying down on his back.

"Ray?" She moved cautiously over to his side. The Chinese teen suppressed a groan before moving over to his other side, avoiding Teira completely.

"Ray…I—are you ok?"

"Do I look ok?" Ray tugged onto the sheets wearily.

"Well, you're pale." She admitted, "I was just checking on you—"

"I'm never going back there…you can't make me." Teira blinked in astonishment. "Ray…I won't make you." she sighed. Ray looked up at the girl with depressed amber orbs, "He tried to kill my again…like burning my house down wasn't enough." Teira sat down on the bed, now confused.

"He did what?" Ray moved up in the covers until him and Teira where face to face. Using one hand to gingerly swipe back his silk sleeve, Teira stared down at his other arm. A red burn scar had been placed over the teen's left arm.

"He wanted me dead, so he burnt the place down…while I was asleep." Teira slapped a hand to her mouth, "R-Ray you should have—"

"Have what? _Told_ you?" He growled, looking down at the bedding, "What use would that have been? I didn't want to see him to begin with…but I did because I knew you wanted to. The guy tried to kill me—I want nothing to do with him."

"Ray, he was brainwashed into doing all those things…it wasn't him—it was someone else."

"I know, but I still have to look at the person who set the fire." Ray whispered, "I still have that picture in my head. I don't see the person that did that to Lee, I see Lee!"

Without hesitation, Teira threw her arms around the older teen's neck, pulling him into a hug. Ray set his head on top of Teira's and sighed, letting the younger girl nuzzle into his chest. "Teira, whats wrong with me? Is it ok to want somebody dead…is it ok to want that?" he clutched the girl tighter.

"…Ray—don't say that."

"Something in me still wants to get things right, but the other part hates him…I can't decide." Teira let her face drop down to Rays shoulder, running her fingers over his red silk shirt.

"Never go with hate. You'll never forgive yourself if you just leave him lying in that hospital bed, Ray; you're his best friend…get revenge for him." Teira replied, rather fiercely. "Find out who did this to him."

As Teira broke away from the Chinese teen, Ray gathered an idea. Grabbing a coat, his shoes, and his cell phone, he ran over to his latest destination. Tokyo Hospital.

* * *

"Mr. Chow, please cooperate…Mr. Chow!" The nurse was beginning to loose patience with the Neko Jin, when the door slammed open. Lee stopped in his tracks and threw the covers back over his head. The nurse sighed wearily and slumped back in her chair, "Mr. Kon…what can I do for you?"

Ray looked around the room, tacking in all of the medical equipment for the second time. He watched the heart monitor beat slowly and the figure under the covers shift with the passing silence.

"I—uh need to talk to Lee. Privately." The nurse jumped out of the chair at the opportunity to escape the room and swept by Ray, "Gladly. The doctor will be in shortly for another dose of his meds, umm…be careful." And the nurse left the room, leaving Ray alone with his former team mate. Lee shifted under the covers once more, "Leave me alone…traitor." Lee hissed, peeping one eyed out from under the white linen. Ray ignored the comment and sat down on the same wicker chair that the nurse had.

"Lee…you can talk to me." Ray started, through clenched teeth, "I need to know who did this to you."

"…"

Ray sighed gently and pulled out a few pieces of paper he had brought in his coat, "I'm not playing games, Lee. You're making me do this to you." he folded one of the papers in half and came closer to Lee's bed side. The Neko Jin pulled away from the older teen and huddled up in the farthest corner. Ray came closer and knelt down beside him, unraveling the paper to show Lee the face of the glaring man. Once the picture caught Lee's eye, he clawed up against the wall and cried out as if someone had slapped him. Ray tore the picture into half and then fourths, throwing it down on the ground.

"Lee, he's not here…but I need you to tell me, is that who hurt you?" Lee suppressed a tiny nod before breaking down into sobs. He curled his legs up to his chest and wept loudly. Ray watched the boy cry, remembering everything he knew about the man. Lee's father was always abusive and short of temper…and he had never like Ray. He was the one who had brainwashed Lee. He had turned his best friend against him; Lee's own father.

"Lee…" Ray patted the teen on the shoulder and came closer to him, "He's gone…I'll find him and make sure he never goes near you again." Lee sniffed a few tears away and looked up at Ray with water stained eyes.

"He'll find me…Ray; he'll find me like he did. Y-you can stop him!"

"Um…am I interrupting something?" a man's voice called from behind the two teens. Ray stood up to look the doctor in the eyes. "I'm here for Mr. Chow's meds." The doctor clarified.

"Call him Lee." Ray growled, "You'll sound to foreign to him if you call him Mr. Chow." The doctor nodded and held out a hand, "I'm Dr. Carnet. I suppose you understood that Lee had to be moved here from China because of his condition."

"Condition? Is it that bad?" Carnet looked Ray strait in the eyes.

"I'm not going to lie to you. Being forced overdoses of an illegal drug for a month strait…the odds aren't good." He looked back over at Lee who had stopped crying long enough to put the covers back over his head. "What relation do you have with him? Brother? Cousin—?"

"I'm his best friend." Ray clarified, "I live in the area." Carnet nodded and went over to the cabinets pulling out a new IV needle. Ray fumbled around with a water bottle and tried to collect all of the information he had just discovered.

"Is—will he die?" Ray stood up strait, letting the bottle roll onto the ground.

"Uh…there's a possible chance, but we're doing everything we can to help your friend." The doctor smiled encouragingly, "He's in good hands."

"Yeah…" Ray faded away. "What did the drugs do to him?"

"Well, sense it is illegal, we've sent out a sample of his blood stream to our investigators, we have yet to receive the results. But we do know that it harmed the nerves that surround his brain; it affected the movement in his left leg, for some reason; though that will heal. But this drug really works on your mind; the way you look at things. If an average person just decided to hop on this drug and take it strait for a month…" Carnet paused for words. "You couldn't stop yourself from doing the things you know are wrong—it's a fight against your own body, for lack of a better word."

"Oh—wow…" Ray inhaled.

"Yes. It's quite a situation your friend is in…he needs all the moral support he can get, everything else is up to God." Ray nodded and sat back down in the wicker chair. As the doctor neared over to Lee's bed, Ray watched the sleeping form.

"I'm asking you personally, do you think Lee will survive this?" Ray questioned, not taking his eyes off the bed. Carnet turned around and pocketed the syringe.

"It's a 50/60 percentage. His body is used to the drug, now, if your body is used to something and totally losses it, lots of things can happen. We're not absolutely sure that he can make it without it. But the high toxicity of it will eventually kill him if he takes anymore. His heart is uneven in its core paces, what we're trying to do now is put in good substitute meds that can help his body recover from the drug, and even out his heart paces." Carnet paused for a moment before continuing, "in short, Lee's recovery is really up to Lee and Lee alone."

**

* * *

****NEXT chapter: I'm debating on Ray going into the coma on this one or the next, what do you think? But if I don't do the coma it'll be more like this: Ray returns home to have another talk with Teira. Little do they know they will soon have a visitor known as— read the next chap to figure it out! **


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter. 5: thank you again for the reviews, hope you like the chapter! Enjoy! **

**NOTE: just to clear something up, there is no yaoi in this fic, if anything, it's just a friendship one, but there might be a relationship between Teira and Ray later, maybe if I feel like it. **

When Ray woke up the next morning, he was still in the wicker chair he had been in the former day. Glancing around groggily, he saw Lee still in bed, snoozing loudly. He glanced around the other part of the room, and to his surprise, Teira had also taken refuge in another wicker chair off to the corner. She was awake and staring at him with her honey eyes. Ray uneasily slipped out of his chair and stood up.

"Er, Teira?"

"Yup." She didn't even manage to blink but continued staring. Ray's eyes shifted down to the ground, not sure of what was going on. "I wasn't planning on you coming." He murmured.

"Neither was I." she replied. "But I thought this would be the only place you would be, even though you begged me to drag you back here." Ray blinked. _Is she getting at something?_ Teira finally stood up and wandered over to Lee's side, "how is he?"

"Not good…turns out the doctors don't know about the brainwash."

"Should they?"

"It's not going to help; just saying the situation was worse a few weeks ago isn't going to help the recovery." Teira nodded and looked down at Lee. "I feel sorry for him…no one knows who did this to him—"

Ray crossed his arms across his chest and sighed angrily, "His father." Teira looked up, unsure of what she had heard.

"—father? Lee's father?"

"Yes. He never liked or trusted me and I have my doubts that he ever really liked Lee, either." Teira blinked, flabbergasted. Ray continued, "He was abusive in more ways than one, he eventually left the village for some reason. I had no idea he had returned." Teira nodded, distracted by yet another voice that was speaking rather roughly to a nurse outside of Lee's door. Ray had taken notice on the voice too, leaning up closer to the closed door.

"Sir, please. We already have visitors."

"Let me see him! I've traveled too long—!"

"But the room is full! If we have too many visitors the patient can get frantic."

Then came a laugh, "Oh, sure…wouldn't want him to get frantic." Then there was a pause, "Can you tell the visitors that Lee's father would like to see him now…it is quite urgent."

Ray let everything else go numb as he tried to comprehend what he had just heard. Teira turned to him, helplessly. "What are we going to do?" she mouthed. Ray shrugged angrily, his eyes darting around the room wildly. Suddenly the door opened and both the teens flinched, expecting the gruesome man. But instead another nurse popped in, looking rather tired and frustrated, "Um, Mr. Chow's father would like to see him, can you please leave the roo—"

"NO! Get him out of here!" Ray darted forward, past the nurse and out to the hall. Teira ran past the nurse as well, in pursuit of Ray. "Ray!" she shouted as he darted towards the man waiting in the hallway. The confused nurse turned around to the hall way, and stared out at the three people.

The Neko Jin stopped short of the older man, flinching his muscles and tightening his fists. "Y-you!" He shouted. The man glared at Ray and started to laugh, "Ah, Raymond, how could I forget you!" he sneered.

"Y-you almost killed him! You made him try to kill me!"

Lee's father narrowed his eyes, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Stop lying! He's your son! How could you do that to him?" Ray hollered. Suddenly nurses and doctors stepped out into the hallway to try and understand what the commotion was about. A few patients looked in on the chaos. Teira edged closer to Ray, grabbing hold of his arm, "Ray—this isn't the best place." Teira whispered, looking over at a patient who was giving her a dirty look.

"Don't you see!" Ray growled, looking from the man to Teira and back, "he's the one that did this to Lee! He injected him with the drugs; he tried to kill his own son—!"

"That's preposterous, Ray!" The man sighed.

"Shut up! You tried to kill him and me!"

"Your obviously hysterical, Ray! I had nothing to do with anything!"

"A-and you brainwashed him…" Ray glared ahead. As the man's anger tumbled over, he reached down into his coat pocket grabbing a hand gun and thrusting it ahead. Ray's eyes went microscopic as the whole hallway gasped with horror. Nothing moved for about a minute, until Lee's father spoke up. "You are ahead of your lead, Raymond. You have no idea who you are dealing with…so I suggest you shut up while you still can." Ray stood motionless as the man moved his finger over the trigger. Teira had inched closer and closer to Ray, trying to grab hold of his shoulder.

"R-ray…m—move, please!" she begged, tears starting to stream as she watched the gun being pointed at her team mate.

And as the doctors got closer and closer to Lee's father, a more determined look appeared on his face. He was determined to kill Ray.

"No…" Teira breathed, still watching the man in horror.

The older man made his last move, clamping down on the gun, "Drop dead, Kon!" the shot rang out through the entire hospital, echoing in and out along with Teira's scream. Before the doctors could grab onto Lee's father, Ray had dropped to the ground.

**sniff ;-; poor Ray…I hate Lee's father so much, he reminds me off Boris in a way. I thought the shot added more tragic and angst. It went well with all the torture and stuff, if you have any questions, you can write a review or email me. Thank ya for all the reviews, you guys. I'm very happy that you like it. **

**Next chapter! Lee is showing signs of improvement, but is Ray? Will there be tension between the two former team mates, or will the slate be set clean? Ps. Next chapter will be last, so I can begin some more fics. **


	6. Chapter 6

**Last chapter! Enjoy everyone! Thank you again for the reviews, and check out my other stories if you like Slowing Progress. **

**Chapter 6. **

_Two months later_

"Ray?" Teira looked down at the raven haired boy like she had done every day for the last two months. Nothing ever changed…he was still in that stupid coma. The tears had finally stopped coming, now it was just that down emptiness that bothered the Japanese girl so much.

"Y-you still can't hear me, can you?" Teira smiled sadly, "Well, I don't believe the doctors…I think you know what I'm saying." She sighed and sat down on the edge of the hospital bed, fingering her black shirt. "I, ah—Lee's gotten much better. He might be able to go back home soon…Ray, why can't you wake up." Teira looked down at that familiar pale face, the one that haunted her in her dreams. _If I had been just alittle bit faster, he wouldn't be in a darn coma!_ She continued to tell herself that as she relived the day Ray Kon, her team mate, had been shot.

--

"_Drop dead, Kon!" _Teira flinched at the words.

_So much blood…everywhere…_She remembered the red liquid almost as good as his expression. _Pale…cold…his eyes—he knew he had been defeated._ Everything stopped in that one moment as Ray kneeled over, hitting the cold floor. All of the doctors flooded on top of Lee's father…and Teira's scream flooded the entire hospital. All of the nurses had gathered around the bleeding Neko Jin as the doctors called in a stretcher. Lee's father had been surrounded and handcuffed by the guards. With one last dirty look at Teira, the older man left the hall in insistence of two cops. Teira's eyes lingered over the man's back, wishing the worst for him. Her tear stained gaze finally broke away from the man and to friend who was now being rolled into another hospital room, oxygen mask and all.

And that was how it had happened. That was why Ray was in a coma, and that was why Teira had visited him every night for the last two months. Everything had fallen apart because of a revolver.

--

"Ray…don't make me cry. You know I hate crying." She whined, pulling back a few strands of his black hair. She was about to stand up and leave when a hand clamped around her shoulder.

"It's good to see you." Lee's voice called from behind the younger teen. Teira shifted around to look at him. His black hair was in its usuall ponytail, the almond colored eyes where still dark and mysterious, but his whole aura was sad. He had returned to his former clothes, but a few bandages where still placed around his forehead and arms. Teira smiled softly at him, "Hey stranger, it's good to see you on your feet." Lee nodded and looked down, "I came to see Ray…I'm real sorry."

"It was out of your control." Teira replied firmly.

"I guess I never had control to begin with. I was selfishly mad at Ray when he left the White Tigers a few years ago, and I let my father take it from there." Lee whispered.

"At least you told someone."

"…told someone." Ray heard a faint off whisper of a girl. His head was killing him with the pain, and he couldn't muster the strength to open his eyes. Suddenly the voices stopped and feet shuffled over to his side.

"Ray? Ray?"

"What happened?"

"I heard him moan…Ray? Can you hear me?"

Ray managed another moan and a gasp came from beside him. Ray pulled the bit of strength he had to open his eyes, moaning once more. As the light flooded into his view, he regretted insisting on opening his eyes in the first place. A hand suddenly clamped onto his shoulder, "Ray!"

_Lee? _Before Ray could add another thought, more people flooded into the room; one being Teira. At the sight of his eyes open, Teira nearly pounced over to where he was laying.

"Ray!" She shouted. Ray smiled at his team mate, glad that she was near him. Suddenly a woman in white pulled Lee and Teira away from the wakened teen and began inspecting his heart monitor, while a doctor gathered by his other side, checking IV's and such.

"Mr. Kon, can you hear me?" the woman called, urgently.

"Y-yeah." He whispered, his own voice sounding foreign to him.

"Do you know where you are?"

"Uh…room?" The woman smiled down on him, "Close, can you tell me which building you think you're in?" Ray looked around at the whiter than white room, "Hospital?"

"Yes, sir. Well, you woke up way before anyone would have thought. Congratulations, you made it!" and with that, the nurse swept up to Lee and Teira, whispering something to them. They both nodded in understanding, and walked up to Ray. Once the doctor left the room, it was only the three. Once the door clicked closed, Ray's eyes locked on Teira who was staring down at him with those honey colored orbs. She brought herself closer up to him and pressed her lips gently on his, taking the raven haired boy's breath away all over again. When they finally parted, Teira smiled down on him as he grinned delightfully. Lee rolled his eyes and turned away.

"How long have I been missing that?" he whispered.

"'bout 2 months…" Teira smiled. "You picked a very inconvenient time to be in a coma." Teira sighed and grabbed hold of Ray's hand. Ray blinked, "that's what happened? A coma?" he choked. Teira nodded and looked up behind Ray. She gingerly let go of his hand and walked out to the hall, leaving Lee with Ray. The older Neko Jin looked over to his right at his former team mate, "Lee."

"This looks awfully familiar." Lee smiled uneasily, "only, I was the one in the bed, and you where the one who was trying to be the friend."

"Yeah…" Ray closed his eyes, "Is he gone?"

"Who? My father? Yeah, he's in custody…" Lee turned away, "I can understand if you don't want to talk to me, Ray. I can't stand myself for what I am…I can't believe I just let him do that to me. I'm not the same person you knew. Everything changed when you left." Lee paused, crossing his arms over his chest. "You were my best friend, and I trusted you even though I never told you anything. I bet you didn't even know I had an abusive father at the time."

"I—…not at the time…" Ray sighed, confused at what Lee was getting at.

"Exactly, I've not been strait up with you." he stopped once more before continuing, "Of all the people to leave, I never thought it'd be you, Ray. But that's how little I know…you don't know much about me at all." Lee finally turned around, facing the other Neko Jin.

"No…but It'll never hurt to talk to me. I may not know a lot, but that doesn't mean I don't want to…it's still hard looking at you—because I can't forget what you said." Ray growled. Lee turned away once more, "I knew I shouldn't have even come."

"Stop it, Lee! You never let me talk, so I'm talking now. Took me being in a freakin hospital for you to actually let me talk." Ray growled, edging himself up in the bed. "I never said I wouldn't forgive you, I just said that its gona be hard." Lee looked down at him once and managed a smile.

"That's more than enough; I just don't want anymore secrets. Keeping secrets has gotten me into this crap; and I just don't want that anymore." Lee sighed and sat down on the wicker chair, leaning back. "I'm scared to death of needles; I love peaches, marshmallows and curry." Lee explained, leaving Ray even more confused, "What are you doing?" he laughed.

"Explaining the simple stuff. The stuff I never told you." he continued, "I've had a crush on Miriam for a while now—" he stopped when he noticed Ray laughing secretly, "Hey! None of this is to be repeated!"

"Absolutely." Ray chuckled.

"Especially the thing about Miriam!" He growled.

Ray nodded, "Uh-huh." He looked over at the Neko Jin. Lee grinned and stood up, walking over to the older teen, "I should have explained everything to you long ago, maybe you wouldn't be in this mess. Keeping secrets was my so called way out. I should have told my best friend,"

"Well, this is a start." Ray nodded and held out his hand to Lee.

Lee smiled and shook Ray's hand in a brotherly fashion. "Yeah, I guess everything is just a work in progress."

**DONE! The ending is a bit scratchy from what I wanted it to be, but it turned out rather good from my view, hope you guys like it too. Thank you for the reviews, they pushed me along the way to get this done. Now I'm working on a fic where Bryan is needlephobic, you guys can check that out once I upload it. Thank you all, hope you like it! **


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